Apparatus and method for reflective display of images on a card

• US 20040145580A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rearden, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rearden, LLC
• Inventors: Perlman, Stephen G.
• Application Number:
  US10/353,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3433 using light modulating elements actuated by an electric field and being other than liquid crystal devices and electrochromic devices using liquid crystal devices G09G3/36; using electrochromic devices G09G3/38
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

A reflective image display card equipped with an electrical connector to connect to a host computer is disclosed. Executing software code on the host computer allows for the transfer of selected images from the host computer to the reflective image display card using USB protocols. The present invention enables a user to keep an image, such as a simple photograph transmitted from the host computer, for months or years without using a significant amount of power. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A method of operation between a host computer and a card having a display panel for reflective display of an image, comprising:

connecting the card to the host computer;

receiving, by the card, a supply voltage from the host computer to activate elements of a reflective display panel of the card;

transferring image data stored on the host computer to the card to realize the image on the reflective display panel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disconnecting the card from the host computer, with the image being retained on the reflective display panel of the card.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein connecting the card to the host computer comprises plugging a universal serial bus (USB) connector coupled to the card into a USB port of the host computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein connecting the card to the host computer comprises inserting an edge of the card into a slot of the host computer, the slot being adapted to receive the card.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

executing code in the host computer to cause the host computer to transfer the image data to the card.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the image data in a non-volatile memory of the card.

7. A portable image display card, comprising:

a display panel that creates an optical image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a surface that includes an array of surface elements;

a connection port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

a microcontroller to control transfer of the image data provided at the connection port the non-volatile memory, and to control the surface elements of the display panel in accordance with the image data.

8. The portable image display card of claim 7 wherein the surface elements comprise reflective surfaces.

9. The portable image display card of claim 7 wherein the surface elements comprise diffractive surfaces.

10. The portable image display card of claim 7 wherein the non-volatile memory has a storage capacity to hold multiple optical images.

11. The portable image display card of claim 7 wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a flash memory embedded within the microcontroller.

12. A portable image display card, comprising:

a display panel that creates an optical image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a surface that includes an array of surface elements;

a connection port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

a microcontroller to control transfer of the image data provided at the connection port the non-volatile memory, and to control the surface elements of the display panel in accordance with the image data; and

electronics coupled to the microcontroller to sequential display of multiple optical images stored in the non-volatile memory.

13. The portable image display card of claim 12 wherein the surface elements comprise reflective surfaces.

14. The portable image display card of claim 12 wherein the surface elements comprise diffractive surfaces.

15. A portable image display card, comprising:

a display panel that creates an optical image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a surface that includes an array of surface elements;

a port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

a microcontroller to control transfer of the image data provided at the port the non-volatile memory, and to control the surface elements of the display panel in accordance with the image data; and

a capacitor to hold a supply voltage provided at the port, the supply voltage powering the microcontroller and the non-volatile memory.

16. The portable image display card of claim 15 further comprising means for sequentially displaying multiple optical images stored in the non-volatile memory.

17. An electronic system for portable display of images, comprising:

a portable card having a display panel that creates an optical image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a surface that includes an array of surface elements;

a connector for connecting the image display card to the host computer for the transferring of image data from the host computer to the image display card; and

a host computing device that stores image data and executes a program to transfer the image data to the portable card, the image date changing a state of the array of surface elements to create the optical image on the display panel; and

a connector for electrically connecting the portable card to the host computing device.

18. The portable image display card of claim 17 wherein the surface elements comprise reflective surfaces.

19. The portable image display card of claim 17 wherein the surface elements comprise diffractive surfaces.

20. The portable image display card of claim 17 wherein the connector comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

21. The portable image display card of claim 20 wherein the USB connector is integral with a portion of the image display card.

22. The portable image display card of claim 17 wherein the program is stored in a computer readable memory/media of the host computer.

23. An electronic system for portable display of images, comprising:

a portable card that includes;

a display panel that creates an optical image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a surface that includes an array of surface elements;

a connection port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

a microcontroller to control transfer of the image data provided at the connection port the non-volatile memory, and to control the surface elements of the display panel in accordance with the image data; and

means for sequential display of multiple optical images stored in the non-volatile memory;

a host computing device that stores image data and executes a program to transfer the image data to the portable card, the image date changing a state of the array of surface elements to create the optical image on the display panel; and

connector means for electrically coupling the connection port to the host computing device to effectuate transfer of image data from the host computing device to the portable card.

24. The portable image display card of claim 23 wherein the connector means comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

25. The portable image display card of claim 24 wherein the USB connector is integral with a portion of the image display card.

26. The portable image display card of claim 23 wherein the program is stored in a computer readable memory/media of the host computer.

27. A portable image display card, comprising:

a zero-power display panel that creates an image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a front viewing plane that includes an array of elements;

a connection port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

means for transferring the image data provided at the connection port to the non-volatile memory, and for controlling the surface elements of the display panel in accordance with the image data.

28. The portable image display card of claim 27 wherein the array of elements comprise microcapsules containing charged particles suspended in a fluid.

29. The portable image display card of claim 27 wherein the array of elements comprise movable reflective surfaces.

30. The portable image display card of claim 27 wherein the non-volatile memory has a storage capacity to hold multiple optical images.

31. The portable image display card of claim 27 wherein the means comprises a microcontroller.

32. A portable image display card, comprising:

an ultra low power display panel that creates an image by reflectively modulating an external light source from a front viewing plane that includes an array of elements;

a connection port;

a non-volatile memory to store image data;

a microcontroller that transfers the image data provided at the connection port to the non-volatile memory, the microcontroller controlling the surface elements of the ultra low power display panel in accordance with the image data.

33. The portable image display card of claim 32 wherein the array of elements comprise microcapsules containing charged particles suspended in a fluid.

34. The portable image display card of claim 32 wherein the array of elements comprise movable surfaces.

35. The portable image display card of claim 32 wherein the means comprises a microcontroller.

36. The portable image display card of claim 32 wherein the non-volatile memory has a storage capacity to hold multiple optical images.

37. The portable image display card of claim 36 further comprising means for sequentially transferring each of the multiple optical images to the ultra low power display panel for display thereon.